Food-borne illnesses cover a lot more than stomach flu. Sometimes you learn that first hand. For example, my coworker and another friend both learned - at the same time - that strep throat can be food borne from a local sushi restaurant. Does the local health department care? Nope! Can't interfere with businesses requiring people to work despite illness, that might interfere with the invisible hand of the free market! No consequences for anyone. Well, except that worker who was required to work: they might be responsible for medical bills.

Fark me, sometimes I really hate living in Nevada. It's not as bad as some other states, but we're really near the top in terms of implementing the Libertarian government wet dream. All I have to say to counterpoint that is "look at our unemployment and underemployment statistics".

yukichigai:Food-borne illnesses cover a lot more than stomach flu. Sometimes you learn that first hand. For example, my coworker and another friend both learned - at the same time - that strep throat can be food borne from a local sushi restaurant. Does the local health department care? Nope! Can't interfere with businesses requiring people to work despite illness, that might interfere with the invisible hand of the free market! No consequences for anyone. Well, except that worker who was required to work: they might be responsible for medical bills.

Fark me, sometimes I really hate living in Nevada. It's not as bad as some other states, but we're really near the top in terms of implementing the Libertarian government wet dream. All I have to say to counterpoint that is "look at our unemployment and underemployment statistics".

Strep throat, like many illnesses, is most contagious before the infected person experiences any symptoms.

The liver-inflaming virus that causes the disease can be transmitted by eating something contaminated by traces of an infected person's feces.

I can only hope this guy washed his hands regularly after using the toilet, but based on some of my current coworkers, just getting some people to use water, let alone soap on their hands, is a challenge.

It's a TWO-WAY STREET: Hep A and anything else can be transmitted from the customer to the server. That being said, I work as a waiter in a restaurant and I love watching my colleagues scarf down leftovers from guests' unfinished plates because I have such contempt for them.

/ 16 years a waiter and only ate one juicy-looking olive off a customer's plate.

Captain Carrot Cake:It's a TWO-WAY STREET: Hep A and anything else can be transmitted from the customer to the server. That being said, I work as a waiter in a restaurant and I love watching my colleagues scarf down leftovers from guests' unfinished plates because I have such contempt for them.

/ 16 years a waiter and only ate one juicy-looking olive off a customer's plate.

Seriously? That actually happens? I'm not really anal about food and I've eaten some pretty nasty things in my life, but I definitely draw the line at eating other peoples food, especially just random strangers in a restaurant. That's pretty much just asking for some sort of communicable disease.

Terrydatroll:Hep A is a joke. Anyone who has eaten oysters has likely gotten hep a and it is harmless with few exceptions. Once you have it you are immune to it forever.

Agree -- the vast majority of cases are never diagnosed, and completely asymptomatic. It's not like Hep B or C that can stay with you forever and can reactivate later and cause cirrhosis, liver cancer, etc.

chevydeuce:Seriously? That actually happens? I'm not really anal about food and I've eaten some pretty nasty things in my life, but I definitely draw the line at eating other peoples food, especially just random strangers in a restaurant. That's pretty much just asking for some sort of communicable disease.

chevydeuce:and btw, how would the restaurant know their employee had Hep A? Given HIPPA laws, most employers close their ears and yell loudly any time employees start talking about health issues.

It's a reportable illness. The health department learned about it (most likely did not RTA), when the infectious disease dept of the hospital made the diagnosis, and then set about locating possible contacts. Since the restaurant is the entity that has access to these contacts, the restaurant was required to do the notifications. I'm sure they were not happy about it.

lesliepop:chevydeuce: and btw, how would the restaurant know their employee had Hep A? Given HIPPA laws, most employers close their ears and yell loudly any time employees start talking about health issues.

It's a reportable illness. The health department learned about it (most likely did not RTA), when the infectious disease dept of the hospital made the diagnosis, and then set about locating possible contacts. Since the restaurant is the entity that has access to these contacts, the restaurant was required to do the notifications. I'm sure they were not happy about it.

Captain Carrot Cake:It's a TWO-WAY STREET: Hep A and anything else can be transmitted from the customer to the server. That being said, I work as a waiter in a restaurant and I love watching my colleagues scarf down leftovers from guests' unfinished plates because I have such contempt for them.

/ 16 years a waiter and only ate one juicy-looking olive off a customer's plate.

What?!?

I had worked in many restaurants from ages 16-25. Not once Have I seen someone eat off a guest's plate. The only time I've heard of it were from friends that worked in a different restaurant where the dishwasher would eat food off the plates before he washed them. (and sometimes stick a chicken wing or something in his backpocket when not hungry)....and the only reason why the guy was talked about was because it was such an abnormal and disgusting practice!

Chi-Chi's had a Hep A outbreak back in 2004 traced back to a restaurant in Pennsylvania. Hundreds were infected and a few people died. Corporate had just filed restructuring bankruptcy a few months before the news broke, so that was the straw that broke the camel's back. They still have locations in Europe and the middle east.

DrBrownCow:Chi-Chi's had a Hep A outbreak back in 2004 traced back to a restaurant in Pennsylvania. Hundreds were infected and a few people died. Corporate had just filed restructuring bankruptcy a few months before the news broke, so that was the straw that broke the camel's back. They still have locations in Europe and the middle east.

One of the joys of America and the legal system. Even if you do everything correctly you can still have an outbreak and have to pay for it.